Golf and the PGA Tour have “embraced gambling” as a “potential revenue stream to tap into rather than ignore, but not without issues,” according to Bob Harig of SI. During the BMW Championship at Olympia Fields, Max Homa was the subject of heckling related to gambling and his plight led others to “share concerns that fans who have money riding on the outcome of a particular shot, putt or score might be tempted to interfere.” Given their close proximity to players, fans can “say things or be disruptive enough at the wrong moment to be cause for concern.” Jon Rahm said it is “very easy -- very, very easy -- in golf if you want to affect somebody.” Rahm: “You’re so close; you can yell at the wrong time, and it’s very easy for that to happen.” He added he thought the PGA Tour “could look into it, but at the same time, it would be extremely difficult for the Tour to somehow control the 50,000 people scattered around the golf course.” Rahm: “It’s a complicated subject. You don’t want it to get out of control, but you also want to have the fans to have the experience they want to have.” PGA Tour EVP Tyler Dennis said that the spectators involved with Homa were “ejected immediately and that would continue to be the case when such incidents arise” (SI, 8/28).
